Athos was becoming worried, Porthos was becoming annoyed. They had all agreed that at noon that day they would meet for a bit of fencing and lunch…
Only D’artagnan and Arimis had not shown up.
“I swear by my life that, as sure as I am standing here, I reminded D’artagnan that it was today and not next week as he had said…” Porthos said loudly.
“D’artagnan can be excused, with the way he is,” said Athos, sipping a mug of wine. “But it is very odd for Arimis to be late for anything!”
Porthos nodded and silence crept in. They all knew that D’artagnan was having problems, not only with himself but also with the Cardinal! (You must realize, though, that when it came to the Cardinal, they were his problem!) Arimis had a new mistress that, so far, none of them had met her.
That was Arimis’ latest downfall, he had a new mistress. He was constantly talking about her…to the point where it became almost unbearable! But they all put up with it, as they did when D’artagnan was in love with Constance.
Athos sighed heavily for his young friend. Since that one day when Rocheofrt, Milady and Constance had all died, he had just not been himself.
Suddenly, he was pulled out of his memories by a shout as Arimis ran up with D'artagnan and a fellow that neither of them had seen in their lives in tow.
"You're late," stated Athos.
"Do not blame me!" cried Arimis. "I took a short cut and found D'artagnan and this fellow down the road. I haven't the slightest who this fellow is, other than he is a Spaniard."
Diego spoke up indignantly. "I beg your pardon, Señores, but I am not a Spaniard. As I told your friend, I am a Californiano. Though he tells me that there is no such place as California."
"And D'artagnan is quite right!" spoke up Porthos. "I have been looking at maps for years and I have never heard of any such a place as California!"
"It is a sin to lie, Porthos, so stop it. You have not looked at a map in two months..." Arimis stopped from where he was polishing his sword (he never wasted any time in getting down to doing something) and thought for a moment. "...No..." he mused. "It would be three months now..."
Porthos reached over and gave Arimis a whap with his gloves.
Now, this probably would have turned into what D'artagnan had nicknamed a "battle" between the two...had four of the Cardinal's gaurds (Jussac and Bircat among them) not shown up at that precise moment.
"Ho! Musketeers!" cried Jussac, who was at the head of the party. "What are you doing so far from the city? Causing trouble like the ruffians you are?"
Athos, being the one who could keep his temper with these fellows most of the time, spoke. "We are doing nothing to your concern so be on your way, gentlemen."
"I do wish that we could, gentlemen, only, our duty makes us investigate anything that looks suspicious..."
D'artagnan cut him off gruffly. "And you still have not thought of investigating yourselves?"
Jussac was quite offended by this. "I do think that you need a lesson in manners..."
The four friends smiled. That was one of the reasons that they had become friends, because D'artagnan had smashed into Athos' wounded arm and Athos had decided to give him a "Lesson in manners".
"I have already had one," D'artagnan said smartly.
"Well then," Jussac said, indignantly, for he did not uderstand the joke. "I would suggest that you watch your Gascon mouth if you do not wish another."
"I think that it is not us that need the lessons in manners, Monseuir Gaurds," said Arimis, putting a hand on the hilt of his sword. "But it is you."
D'artagnan leaned over and nudged Diego, tapping his Zorro sword (he had just insisted that Diego leave it on when they had gone back to D'artagnan's small apartment). He suddenly understood what he meant. They were going to fight.
And fight they did!
Out of habit, Athos singled out Bircat and D'artagnan was singled out by (you should have known it) Jussac. The other three were left to whoever came their way.
Diego had expected it to be a short battle, if you could even call it a battle! Then, as if this had all been planned, another party of the Cardinal's Gaurds saw their comrades in trouble and ran in to help. Two more went after D'artagnan, weaving their swords in and out through his defences. A second one went after Arimis and another after Porthos, and the only reamining one found himself paired up with Diego. In and out, up and down went the swords until it became almost dizzying! Finally, though, Diego found the gap in his opponite's defences and he fell to the ground.
Looking around wildly, he got a short chance to see just how good these men were. Fact: they were much better than he would have thought.
D'artagnan was not doing too badly fending off the three men coming after him, Arimis was not doing too badly, and Athos...
Another Cardinalist grabbed his free hand and landed a good punch right in Diego's jaw. Dazed at first, he stepped back and nearly ran into Porthos, who just managed to duck the other way and at the same time send his opponite's sword flying a half a score of feet away.
The fights lasted a few more minutes, D'artagnan the last to finish. Porthos, Arimis and Athos found comfortable seats in which to watch the fun from. Jussac was pushed back, back, back...
D'artagnan's sword could be heard swooshing through the air as he cut one of Jussac's suspenders and then, as if being humiliated was not enough, he lifted one foot and down went Jussac, into the pond.
Diego was stunned. This was far beyond the rules of dueling and, for it seemed quite plain later, he was beginning to think that these men did not always play by the rules.
Upon returning to the Musketeer headquarters (that being the Musketeers' name for it) they were quickly called in and roundly scolded by M. de Treville. (this is including Diego.)
"...And do you know which one of you should be the most ashamed?!" he asked menacingly, pacing up and down the line of five.
"Me, Monseuir!" D'artagnan barked.
"Yes, you!" M. de Treville barked even louder and harsher than ever. "You evidently have forgotten either your Musketeer Morals or the rules of dueling so permit me to remind you! In the rules of dueling you help your enemies after you are done fighting them, am I correct? For after you have finished they are your victoms! This means that you are not to send Jussac home, dripping wet without his trousers! Do you understand?!"
D'artagnan, head still up indignantly, answered. "No, Monseuir, I do not."
M. de Treville looked as though he were about to say something more, but stopped himself and ordered them to get out of his office. The five did not waste time in obeying.
On the staircase, D'artagnan was stopped by Athos and Porthos.
"'No Monseuir'?" Porthos exclaimed. "By God! Are you trying to be cast out of the Musketeers, or do you just enjoy being insubordinate?"
D'Artagnan turned and gave Porthos such a cold look of hatered that no one dared cross him. Porthos let go of his arm and let him walk quickly down the hall and disappear.
Table of Contents
Part One
Part Two
Part Four
